The Winnipeg File
by Miss Pookamonga
Summary: The Winnipeg family was once one of the most brilliant families in all of V.F.D. But the schism came and nearly destroyed the Winnipegs altogether... Now, 21 years after the schism, their file has been found...CHAP 5 UP!
1. Page 1

The Winnipeg File

_Page 1_

_Faith Browning Quagmire—Joseph Auguste Winnipeg_

_Emily Rose Winnipeg _

_Faith B. Quagmire_

_**Status:** Deceased; was the joint heir to the Winnipeg Crown Jewels; the Former Auxiliary Duchess of Winnipeg_

_**Cause of Death:**Church fire_

_**Location: **St. Catherine's Cemetery_

_**Work: **Co-owned Quagmire Mines; Volunteer Frolicking Dolphin Trainer at Anwhistle Aquatics; jewler at Q & W Jewelers; designer of safe(s) for the Winnipeg Crown Jewels; assisted 3M and GS with her husband and daughter on the Amazon Expedition; helped organize the canceled wedding at the Valley of Fragrant Drapes; saved LS from being drowned in Lachrymose Lake by O; helped with the birth of K; taught at both Prufrock Preparatory School and Hawthorne University which was named for her great-grandfather; developed the new form of poison darts; disproved many stories in the Daily Punctilio; worked to get LS fired for his own protection from the Daily Punctilio staff; was the former Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Punctilio before she went into hiding; helped Gregor Anwhistle discover the Medusoid Mycelium; attempted but failed to extinguish the Snicket Dairy Fire; temporarily fostered the Denoument triplets; saved several dolphins from the woman with hair but no beard's Sneaky Sonar System; traveled on a Cetacean Study Tour with her daughter of New Zealand with the Maori; helped design the set for GS's film Zombies in the Snow; saved the Winnipeg Palace from burning down; helped build the V.F.D. yachts and helped rebuild the _Prospero_; co-owned Café Salmonella; co-wrote Safe at Sea. _

_**Relations: **Daughter of Faith Sophia Hawthorne and Thomas Quagmire; wife of Joseph "Joe" Auguste Winnipeg; mother of Emily Rose Winnipeg_

_**Codename(s): **"BBQ", "FQ", "Fig", and "Fire Burns Quietly"_

_Joseph "Joe" A. Winnipeg _

_**Status: **Deceased; was the previous heir to the Winnipeg Crown Jewels; the former Duke of Winnipeg_

_**Cause of Death:**Church fire_

_**Location: **Unknown, may be at the bottom of Lachrymose Lake, in the Gorgonian Grotto, or in the "Darkroom" _

_**Work: **Co-owned Q&W Jewelers; former V.F.D. ambassador; marine mineral scientist at Anwhistle Aquatics; was one of the "Treasure Makers"; traveled with his wife, daughter, 3M, and GS on the Amazon Expedition; helped Hector build the plane that nearly crashed with his 10-year-old daughter on it; discouraged his wife from developing poison darts; explored Lachrymose Lake with the Anwhistles and Captain then First Mate Widdershins; hid the Quagmire Sapphires temporarily; helped Gregor Anwhistle discover the Medusoid Mycelium; saved LS from being impaled by Fernald's harpoon gun; saved several sea animals from being impaled by the same harpoon gun; temporarily fostered the Denoument triplets; hid the entire Quagmire family from O and E; discouraged Jerome from marrying E; co-owned Café Salmonella and the Anxious Clown Café; studied Lachrymose Leeches at Anwhistle Aquatics; helped the Quagmires with their maps of the mines; nearly died of food poisoning at a Very Foul Diner; almost accidentally discovered a cure for gout; discovered what he thought but very much doubted was the Philosopher's Stone on Briny Beach; helped rebuild the _Prospero_ owned the Daily Punctilio until he married; worked to get LS fired for his own protection from the Daily Punctilio; co-wrote the screenplay for GS's film Zombies in the Snow; co-wrote Safe at Sea and The Rising Sun: the Story of a Troubled Heir. _

_**Relations: **Son of Nathan Winnipeg and Laurel Hester Ingleside; husband of Faith Browning Quagmire; father of Emily Rose Winnipeg _

_**Codename(s): **"JAW", "Lucky (or "Lucky Winner"), "Winner", "Caesar (or "Caesar Augustus"), and "JW" _

_Emily Rose "Rosie" Winnipeg_

_**Status: **Living, age 25; current heir to the Winnipeg Crown Jewels; the current Duchess of Winnipeg_

_**Cause of Death: **_

_**Location: **Uncertain, may be in a taxicab with LS and the dsB_

_**Work: **Concealed the location of Quagmire Mines; attempted to buy Curdled Cave but thus failed; was one of the "Treasure Seekers"; helped compile numerous files, including this one and the Snicket file; was a student at Prufrock Preparatory School before the time of Nero; is still searching for the location of the missing Eleanora Poe; attended Hawthorne University which was named for her mother's great-grandfather and was valedictorian of her class; taught at Prufrock for one semester until Nero became vice-principal; disguised herself as a waitress at the Anxious Clown Café; worked as a busgirl/ water-girl at Café Salmonella; studied acting and temporarily joined the Hammerstein Theatre Troupe while spying on Olaf; worked to get LS fired for his own protection from the Daily Punctilio; was part of the City International Choir until the Sister Act Trio was abruptly reduced to a duet; assisted Babs in the re-organization of the Heimlich Hospital library; Volunteer Frolicking Dolphin researcher at Anwhistle Aquatics; discouraged Gregor Anwhistle from releasing the Medusoid Mycelium; traveled with K, LS, and BB Gun on several expeditions; helped Beatrice with research; assisted Beatrice during the births of her son and younger daughter; saved LS from being shot to death by Esmé; acquired poison darts for K; discouraged O's parents from burning the Opera House down; worked as Mr. Poe's secretary; spied on Geraldine Julienne while pretending to be a restaurant critic for the Daily Punctilio;assisted 3M and GS on their Amazon expedition with her parents; hid 2S from O and his Troupe; identified the true cause of Fernald's father's disappearance; tried to save F1 and F2's mother from being killed while on a manatee swim in the Florida Everglades; played the role of Isabella the Ice Princess in GS's film Zombies in the Snow; at precisely age 10, nearly died in a plane crash with Hector that was caused by the man with a beard but no hair and the Bald Man; discovered the culprits of the Quagmire Jewel Robbery but failed to capture them; organized a Masked Ball in which Beatrice and LS were both present; helped LS and Beatrice escape the Valley of Fragrant Drapes; worked on several inventions with BB Gun and CMK; nearly died in an elevator "accident"; tried to save her parents from her house fire; saved Charles from being eaten by hungry Siberian tigers at Bobo's Magic Circus; stopped a Very Important Chemist from developing and testing the so-called "Elixir of Life"; is currently working at the Hotel Preludio. _

_**Relations:** Daughter of Faith Browning Quagmire and Joseph "Joe" Auguste Winnipeg; aunt of the Quagmire triplets; unofficial godmother of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. _

_**Codename(s): **"Auntie Em", "Rose Thorn", "Rosada", "R", "ERWin", "Double Dutch", "Princess", "Royal Rose", "Runny Nose", and "Sleeping Beauty". _

_**Another name is "Elmo Runs With Us"; however, this was more of a signal developed by Rosie herself, not really a name. It only became associated with her as a name because she used the signal so often when communicating with other volunteers.**_

_Eleanora Poe's whereabouts are uncertain; she may be locked in a Daily Punctilio storehouse basement. Whether or not she is still alive is also uncertain. _


	2. April 1st

_Dear Readers,_

_YESSSS! I've finally updated this story after FOREVER! I am SO SORRY for taking this long. I've been busy w/ school and Theatre, and a bunch of other stuff, so I totally forgot about this story. Please do not be upset. I hope you are still interested in reading this. _

_Just to let you know, the "story" switches back and forth between the pages of the file and Rosie's diary. This is the second "chapter" and since the first was a page from the file, this is an entry from Rosie's diary. _

_I hope you like it. If not, let me know. Just no flames, please._

_Best Regards from a (very very contrite) Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga_

April 1

Dear Dairy,

It's April Fool's day. I never really loved this day until I had the chance to play a trick on Lemony. Boy, did that prank change everything. I remember switching his grape soda with Uncle Gustav's root beer (which L HATES) and he started sputtering and choking the minute he sipped it. It was hilarious! I just wish I could relive that day. That day when everything was happier, when the world seemed so simple and so pure, so uncorrupted by our mistakes and sins, so unscarred by death and destruction.

Uncle Gustav. I remember calling him that because he was always at our house and always used to play with me. I think the best time I ever had with him was that one chess game that we played the day he was inspired to make a movie. It was snowing heavily--in fact, I think it was the big Christmas blizzard. I was only six, but I had been playing chess since the day I could grasp something between my forefinger and thumb. I remember peering intently at the board with my nose a half an inch away from the king, eyeing Uncle Gustav's moves as if they were the crucial movements of an enemy battle at war.

"If you sneeze on my chess board, I'm going to pound you," he said, pretending to sound gruff.

"Umph," I replied automatically, not really listening to what he was saying. I eyed one of my knights--I think--and decided to move it. With a sly smile, I gingerly picked it up and delicately knocked over Uncle Gustav's last bishop. "Ha!"

"Darn it! That was my last bishop, _Little Miss Duchess_. You're despicable!"

Even though I knew Gustav was jokingly trying to flaunt his superiority by using a big word, I already knew what "despicable" meant. "You mean I'm 'deserving scorn' and 'contempt--con-tempt-ib-le'," I retorted, quoting _Webster's New World Dictionary_.

Gustav looked me in the eye with that fake expression of fury on his face. His nose was scrunched up and his eyes were as wide as cherry tomatoes. His face had presently flushed a bright shade ofred. I smothered what would have been a very loud giggle with my hand. "Ohhh, you know that word, do you? You little progidy-wannabe. Hmph! Do you know what 'despot' means? Hmm?"

"A tyrant or an absolute ruler," I answered matter of factly, gazing at the chessboard again with an innocent look on my face.

Across the table, I heard Gustav snort in mock arrogance. I tried to suppress another giggle, but it managed to escape my mouth in sort of a high-pitched squeak. Uncle Gustav, now having sensed my vulnerability, snorted again, this time louder. He sounded vaguely like the Snickets' pig, Hester. I bit my lip, but I was shaking from holding in my laughter. He snorted again, this time adding a "eeeeh-aaaawww" in a ridiculously squeaky and drawn-out voice. That was it. I burst into convulsions of giggles.

"Got you again," he said almost nonchalantly as I continued to laugh uncontrollably at the opposite side of the table. "Shall we continue our _lovely_ game, my deah?" he added in a sing-song impression of a British opera performer. Another fit of giggles erupted from my mouth. "I take that as a yes," he sang and moved his rook forward. Still laughing and shaking, I pinched my other knight with my fingersand captured the rook. For some reason, I found this funny as well, and I was so overcome with laughter that I folded my arms and laid my head on the table.

"Gerroff the table, you gigglemeister, you're causing an earthquake!" cried Gustav in a mouse-like voice.

"S-s-s-t-t-o-o-o-p-p. M-m-m-m-a-a-k-i-i-n-g. M-m-e-e. L-l-l-a-a-u-gh," I choked, lifting my head. I'm pretty sure that by then, my face had turned the color of my grape soda that I'd been drinking earlier.

"Me?" he answered, wearing a confused look of mock innocence on his face. "I'm not making you laugh. I think you have some sort of disease."

I didn't say anything. I was laughing too hard.

"I say," Uncle Gustav went on, resuming his fake British accent. "Look at the snow, my deah! Awfully dreadful! Must be so cold outside, don't you think? Only the Yeti and his beloved snowmen friends could survive this _despicable _weathah."

"Ye-HIC-ti?-HIC!" by this time, I'd calmed down a little since I'd gotten the hiccups. A rotten case of them, I remember.

"Oh, deah, don't you know the Yeti? Big, white, hairy, sharp teeth, likes to eat people like you? I told you about it; don't you remembah?"

"Oh-HIC-yeah-HIC! Didn't-HIC-you tell me-HIC-about-HIC-snow-HIC-zombies-HIC-too? HIC!"

"Oh, right-o. The snow zombies. Awful things. Like to eat little duchesses. Wander around on blizzard days like these, looking for poor, lost wanderers to eat." Suddenly, he stopped his story about the snow zombies--a story he'd told often to me whenever winter came around--and stared out the window. Outside, the snow was whirling around in mini tornadoes, and gusts of white powder were billowing up like smoke from the ground. I looked at Uncle Gustav's face and saw in his eyes that vacant, dreamy expression in them that he got whenever he was imagining something in his head. It seemed as if he was actually seeing the snow zombies marching through the layers of snow, with the abominable Yeti trudging close behind them.

"Uncle-HIC! Gustav? HIC!" I said quietly, a little frightened by his sudden silence. Of course, I'd always known him to go off on daydreaming tangents like this, but the abrupt end to his joking seemed a bit spooky to me.

"A film. A film. Snowzombies," he muttered quietly to himself, as if no one else was there. I knew instantly what he was referring to.Ever since I could remember,it had been Uncle Gustav's wildest, most passionate dream to make a movie. He'd studied filmmaking in college and graduate school, and he'd made a few small short films, but never anything prominent. He was always rambling on about making an action picture,or a monster flick, or a horror movie, but he never came up with any concrete ideas. Suddenly, now, it seemed that a lightbulb had finally poppedon in his overactive imagination.

"You're going to make-HIC-a movie about-HIC-the snow zombies?" I asked, half disbelieving the idea and half liking it.

"YES!" he cried suddenly, whipping his headaway from the window to face me."Yes, Rosie! Yes! THAT shall be my film! And-and-_you--" _here he pointed aggressively at me"--can be in it!"

I gaped back at him in shock. _Well, this has been a weird afternoon,_ I remember thinking_. From chess to laughing to a movie about snow zombies. _Right then and there I realized why Daddy sometimes called Uncle Gustav "the whimsical one who flies off on a whim".

Uncle Gustav stood up, still looking at me, but I don't think he really saw me at that moment. I think he was seeing the finished product of his film. "Yes, that'll be it. A movie about snow zombies...I don't know why I never thought of that before..." he trailed off and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes beaming with aninvisible lightas if he had just witnessed Lazarus' being raised from the dead. Then he looked back at me, sitting down at the chess table, looking small and somewhat confused. For a minute, confusion seemed to cross his face too--as if he'd forgotten who I was--but it quickly faded away, and he saw me again. "Well, my deah," he said, composing himself again, "it was a _lovely_ unfinished chess game. But I've got to get away now and work on my ideahs. You're most welcome to come with meah."

I giggled again and nodded my head. As I stood up, I took his large, smooth hand in my own and walked out of the room with him, hiccuping the whole way.

Aah, I remember that day like it was yesterday. So much changed after it. So much was gained, so much was lost. If only Gustav were alive now. Maybe then would I still have the strength enough to laugh again.

--Rosie

_**Sorry if it was kind of boring. They'll get more exciting, I promise. I just hope you enjoyed it.**_


	3. Page 2

_Dear Readers STOP_

_I am aware that the second page of the Winnepeg file has been uploaded onto STOP I hope dearly that you will not read it if you are not interested in being spied on by traitors, being contacted by other anonymous volunteers, or entangling yourself in a web of mysteries as large as a blue whale--which here means the largest animal, in water or on land, on the entire earth STOP However, if you are interested in at least one of these things, please read on STOP The Winnepeg family needs all the help they can acquire from their fellow volunteers STOP I believe that each of the pages in this file contain secretly secretive secret clues as to the whereabouts ofanother surviving survivor of the Church fire that killed (most of) the Winnepeg familyand also the identity(ies) of the person(s) who burnt down St. Elmo's Church STOP Please be sure to send me a copy of your ideas about these people by clicking on a link called "Submit a Review" so that I might have a better chance of reunitingthe lost relativewith Runny Nose and resolving the caseof the church arsonSTOP Please also use this link to send your thoughts on the file, so that Runny Nose and I can further enhance the information it contains STOP Thank you for taking time to read this telegram STOP Now I hope you can help this dear family whoare dearest friends of the dear LS who is very dearlydevoted to themSTOP _

_Best regards from a Bookworm STOP_

_Miss Pookamonga (perhaps otherwise known by some other name) STOP_

_Elmo Runs With us _

Page 2

_Transcript of Interview with Emily Rose Quagme_scratched out_ Winnepeg_

B: Good afternoon, R.

R: Good afternoon, B.

B: It's nice seeing you again. Now, I understand that you want a **t**eaching position here at Prufrock.

R: Yes.

B: Why are you interested in this position?

R: Well, first and foremost, I need to keep an eye on the school for reasons we both know. But I also enjoy being around young children, and I have always wanted to teach.

B: I see. Well, from looking at your records, you look very qualified for the job. But I'm just a little worried t**h**at you might be putting yourself in immediate danger.

R: Trust me B, I would not want to do this if I was not willing to risk anything for it.

B: Then...with that said, I've heard a lot about you from other volunteers. You seem like a very intelligent young woman. Tell me about yourself.

R: I like to play chess--I us**e**d to play with GS all the time. I also enjoy writing, reading, singing, dancing, and acting. I acted in GS's movie.

B: Ah, yes! You were the Ice Princess. I quite enjoyed that film. Nice acting.

R: Thank you. I also play piano. As you've probably heard, I've worked at Anwhistle Aquatics as a Volunteer Frolicking Dolphin Trainer. I worked with the dolphins Richie, Bo, Whelkie, and Ariel.

B: Oh, Richie was a darling! I remember his mother, Miranda.

R: Mmm-hmm. I used to swim with her when I was young. Anyway, as I was saying, I worked with those dolphins alongside some of the Anwhistles. I've also worked as a waitress at The Anxious Clown Cafe.

B: I think I saw a picture of you once. L showed it to me. **W**ere you the clown that looked like a Raggedy Ann doll?

R: Yes! Ha, I remember wearing that ridiculous costume. L thought I looked cute in it.

B: Ha ha, yes. He told me that. But, please, go on.

R: When I heard that some ofour friends herewere in trouble, I took the initiative to come right away. I didn't want to wait and put you in more danger.

B: I see. Thank you.

R: Oh, you're welcome. I was just my duty as a volunteer, really. I didn't want to wait around after the tragedy and see if someone would come to your aid--I found it too risky. So I packed up and rode the train over immediately after I heard the news.

B: Yes, very sad, though, wasn't it? I--I still haven't quite g**o**tten over it.

R: That's all right. I don't think any of us have gotten over anything yet.

B:Yes...I mean--how--h-how about we talk about your teaching experience?

R: This would be my first time teaching. But I have worked at Ca**m**p Conch near Briny Beach with children from age four to age seventeen.

B: How did you like that experience?

R: I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I learned more from the kids than they learned from me as a counselor. Each of the three summers that I worked there, each child had something new and amazing to offer me. I enjoyed their smiles and laughs, and I really had fun swimming, doing crafts, and playing sports with them.

B: Well! I wish I had had the opportunity to work there. I used to know the owner, Nick Eckleburg. It seemed like a very uplifting camp.

R: Oh, it was! I came out of the experience feeling more full and--well--enriched...with something that I don't think I had in a long time--do you understand what I'm s**a**ying?

B: Yes, yes of course. You obviously like childre**n**.

R: Oh, I love children! Especially young ones. They really cheer me up.

B: Yes...I remember some certain young children that I loved once...but I'm sure you kno**w** about that.

R: Oh-oh yes.

B: Well, **I **see that you are very enthusiastic abou**t** working wit**h** kids and teaching them, as well as **h**elping the volunteer cause. Now, I see from your records that you are most experienced with working with children from kindergarten age to fifth grade.

R: Yes.

B: Hmm...I'm not so sure yet, but I think you will be te**a**ching third grade. When I've discussed it with the board and made my dec**i**sion, I'll let you know.

R: Thank you. It's been a pleasu**r**e talking with you, **B**.

B: It has been a pleas**u**re mee**t**ing you fi**n**ally. I'm very glad t**o** have spoken with you a**b**out...your job...and, of course, oth**e**r things.

R: Yes. I hope you h**a**ve a splendid and g**r**eat day. The Worl**d** is Quiet Here.

B: The s**a**me to you, and tha**n**k you. The Worl**d** isQuiet Here.

End transcript


	4. April 8th

_Dear Readers,_

_Thanks for the reviews...but I need more feedback! I'd really appreciate it! Well, here's Rosie's next "dairy" entry. I hope you like it. Please, tell me what you think, but no flames. Thank you._

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga : ) : )_

April 8

Dear Dairy,

The strangest thing came into my mind today. Well--it wasn't exactly that strange. It was a memory, another one, but this time it was about Lemony. I've been remembering so many lost good times lately, that I feel as if I have been reliving the past. If only that was possible--but as F. Scott Fitzgerald says in _The Great Gatsby_, it is impossible to repeat the past. At least, it's impossible to repeat it the exact way in which it occurred. Which is how I'd like my life to be right now--an exact repeat of all the good memories I have of the past.

I remembered the time right after Gustav got that brilliant idea to make a film about snow zombies. Lemony and his family came over for dinner one night with Uncle Gustav, Aunt Sally, Mama's second cousins Roderick and Madeline, Uncle Monty, and Bertrand Baudelaire, Sr. It was a mere dinner, not a secret V.F.D. gathering. I recall that Mama and Yasmin, our cook, made a scrumptious meal of Moroccan chicken with dates and rice. It was an exceptional meal--one of the most savory meals I have ever eaten in my whole life. The chicken was cooked tender and juicy, and the dates were sweet yet not too sweet--just the way I like them. The rice was just perfect; it wasn't too dry or too wet, but somewhere in the happy medium. I remember that everyone enjoyed that meal like it was their first and last real meal on this earth.

But most of the memory lies in what happened following the dinner. After helping clean up the table and wash the dishes (all V.F.D. members have always valued helping hosts wash dishes before continuing with other activities) we processed into the Magenta Parlor, which was Mama's favorite parlor in the house. It was decked wall to wall with a lush magenta-colored carpet, ceiling to floor in a carnation pink wallpaper with a design of tiny magenta roses printed on it. The ceiling itself was painted a slightly lighter magenta than that of the soft carpet. Mama's favorite color was always magenta, and so she valued this room as a greater treasure than any of the precious Quagmire sapphires.

Once we were inside the parlor, the adults began talking and playing card games. Lemony, although he was sixteen, didn't always enjoy playing cards, so he, I, and his younger sister and my best friend Kit slipped quietly out of the room and headed for the room next door. That room was Papa's study, and it was, as I recall, cluttered with papers and books and covered on every wall with wooden bookshelves. All three of us enjoyed being in the presence of books, so we felt quite at home there in the cozy study.

I remember that Lemony sunk down into Papa's brown leather desk chair and leaned back, looking very relaxed.

"Come, on, I know you two want to sit in my lap," he said with a sly smile.

Grinning from ear to ear, Kit, who was six like myself, and I bolted toward Lemony and leapt eagerly onto his lap.

"OW! Can't you two be more gentle? I think you may have injured my knee."

"Oh, stop it, Lem. Your knee's fine." retorted Kit, who afterwards stuck her tongue out at him. He lunged forward and tickled her in the stomach, causing her to giggle uncontrollaby for a few seconds.

I, meanwhile, sat on Lemony's lap, staring at him adoringly. I think I fell in love with him the first time I ever saw him, which was probably so far back in my memory that I will probably never recall it. I knew he was ten years older than me, but I never really stopped dreaming of our marriage. It's quite funny, really, thinking of how much I blubbered over him as a little girl. He was my knight in shining armor, and I was the baby princess. Aah, the memories of a childhood fairy tale. If my fantasies and dreams weren't still living on in my heart, I would laugh aloud at the mere thought of them.

Anyway, I stared at his face, and admired how perfectly his nose was shaped. It was somewhat thin at the top, but it grew just a tad bit bigger at the bottom and tapered off into an almost round, yet slightly pointed shape. I would have given anything to have a nose like his. Mine was too tiny and it made me look like a Who from Whoville. Although Lemony and Kit would always try to make me feel better by telling me it made me look like a fairy.

"Hey, Rosie, why are you being so quiet, huh?" asked Lemony, turning his adorable face toward my own. For a moment I silently gazed at him worshipfully, then made a feeble and embarrassed attempt to answer.

"Umm...uhh...I...don't...know...what to talkabout?" I offered pathetically. I felt my face growing hot.

Kit giggled. She knew how I worshipped her brother because I told her nearly all my secrets, as she was my best friend. "Ohhh," she said, grinning mischievously, "I think she's bluffing. Aren't you, _shnoockums_?"

I rolled my eyes at her, and she giggled in delight again. I hated that nickname, "shnoockums". Jacques called me by that name just to annoy me every time he came over to my house. "I'm not bluffing, _Katharine_, I really don't know what to talk about." with extreme exaggeration, I turned my nose upward and jutted my chin into the air. Lemony and Kit burst into laughter.

"OH--ha ha hee--SUUUURRRE," Kit said sarcastically, raising her eyebrows suspiciously.

"What's all this about?" Lemony asked curiously. If I saw any flaws in him at that time, it was that he was most certainly oblivious to the fact that girls of all ages were infatuated with his appearance and supreme intelligence.

Kit and I just giggled quietly as we pressed our hands against our mouths and exchanged communicative glances. Lemony looked from one of us to the other, obviously deeply confused, yet highly suspicious of something. "Are you guys conspiring against me?" he asked, leaning his head between ours and attempting to raise an eyebrow, with a ridiculous result.

Kit and I doubled over, and I nearly toppled off Lemony's knee.

"What? What's so funny?" He was pretending to look deeply inquisitive, but Kit and I knew that really he was becoming indignant.

"Oh, you c-can't tell?" squeaked Kit amid a hysterical fit of giggles.

"KIT! Don't TELL him!" I cried, still laughing uncontrollably.

"Tell me WHAT?" he bellowed in a deep voice, drawing his figure up and sticking his chest out. "WHAT do you not want me to know?"

Kit and I just continued laughing. But, as we did, I still took notice of the fact that Lemony remained sophisticatedly handsome throughout his whole clowning around act. It drew me to awe-fully worship his--his--his composure even more. It was so amazing to me how he could remain the proper, knightly self that he was while simultaneously trying to make us laugh.

Finally, he let go of his silly getup and looked imploringly at us (who were still having fits of giggles). "Oh, _come on_, can't you just give me a hint?"

Kit snorted loudly. "Ha! Being controlled by a duo of laughing six-year-olds, huh, _Lemon_? Isn't it fun?"

Lemony just snorted back and leaned back in the chair again and pretended to look seriously offended. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me--"

"Oh, be quiet, puppy eyes, that's not what she meant," I said, finally mustering up the courage to say something rational to him.

"Yeah, I mean, we could tell you--that is, if we really--" Kit broke off the sentence and glanced questioningly at me. For a moment, my heart beat so fast that I could have sworn that it went numb. Then, I quickly shook my head. "--but we don't want to tell you now."

"What? Come on!"

"You've been saying that for like, the past hour, " I said, putting on a false annoyed look.

"Okay, okay, I'll drop the subject, shnookums"--here I punched him angrily in the arm--"and--ow--I--ouch--won't--ugh--ask-about-it-geez, why'd you hit so hard?" I merely snickered and smiled smugly, secretly enjoying the way his eyes glinted when he was upset--as if tiny embers were emitting sparks within them.

Suddenly, we heard a knock on the study door.

"Hark, I hear a rapping, tapping on my door," said Lemony, sitting up and widening his eyes in mock surprise.

"It isn't your door, Lemon, it's mine," the muffled voice of my Papa said through the door. "What's going on in there? Open up!"

"Get off, you two scoundrels," he growled, nudging us off his lap as we giggled softly.

Lemony opened the door to reveal my Papa. After that, I don't remember much. Most of the rest of that night is too blurry.

But my love for Lemony--that has remained a clear image for me for over twenty years. I guess I am sort of like Jay Gatsby--chasing after a dream that in my heart I know will never come true, a chase that I know will ultimately destroy me. But I have long since given up trying to let go of him. My infatuation has only grown into deeper love for him over the years--a love that is so strong that I would easily die before ever giving it up. I think it is one of the things that keeps me alive throughout my constant hardships, although it is one of the greatest sources of my pain. It's a clear reminder to me that I must remain loyal to all my friends and fight to protect them from the dangers that surround them, no matter what it may cost me. And it's a clear reminder that some childhood fantasies--some of them, we never grow out of.

Rosie


	5. Page 3

_Dear Readers,_

_The next page of the Winnepeg File has been uploaded. I ask that you please be on the lookout for any clues that may help us volunteers find out who burned down St. Elmo's Church and who one of the survivors of the fire is. If you find any, please click on "Submit a Review" to tell us what you have found. Also, if you have any additional information to add to the file, or any suggestions of how to help us compile it, let us know. We greatly appreciate your help, and R does too. Thank you._

_Best Regards from a Bookworm,_

_Miss Pookamonga :-) _

_P.S.: Make sure to save all collected clues so as not to forget what they are. It is best that you know them so that you will be able to refer to them in case you find yourself in an unfortunate situation._

Page 3

_To anyone who may read this file:_

_This story was found in an abandoned notebook in Prufrock Preparatory School. It was the first and only entry in the book, and it appears to have been written by a young student, possibly a third grader. The author remains anonymous, since no name was found on the notebook. However, the discovery of a crude drawing of the Winnipeg family crest on a page of the book has led us to believe that the story is, in fact, an allegory for the St. Elmo's Church fire in which many Winnepeg family members perished. Thus, the author may in fact be a living relative of one of these Winnepegs. --SS_

ThePrincess and the Great Fire

Once upon a time, there lived a princess in a big castle on an even bigger hill. The hill was very steep, and it led to the beach. The side of the hill that went to the shore was very rocky, and very dangerous to climb. The princess who was named Coralie lived in this castle, and her parents, the King and Queen always warned her to never go near the rocky side of the hill. Coralie was a very obedient girl and never went there.

**C**oralie spent a lot of her time in her bedchamber, which was painted to look like it was underwater. Coralie had a very special magical aquarium inthe middle of the room that was filled with many magical fish that her aunt had found in the ocean near her castle far, far away. Coralie's bed had a blue-green canopy over it, and she had blue sheets and pillows on it. Almost everything in her room was blue or green, even the floor, which was made of tile.

Corali**e** had a tutor named Patrick who came to teach her every day from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. Patrick taught her many things, like how to multiply and divide number**s**, how to write well, how to observe nature, all the important facts about the history of her land, and how to ride horses and swim and shoot arrows. Coralie enjoyed her lessons very much. Patrick was one of her favorite people and she liked how he always cared about her being able to learn many things.

Coralie's favorite thing to learn was how to swim because she loved the ocean. Every Friday, if it was warm enough, Patrick, who Coralie liked to call P**a**t, took Coralie to the beach to swim. Sometimes they even went boating or fishing. In the winter, they would swim in the big pool underground, which came from an underground creek that began in the caves in the Northern Mountains of the kingdom.

One Friday on the last day of lessons before Christmas, Coralie and Patrick went to the pool, which was right underneath the castle, but on the opposite side of the dungeons. Coralie hated the dungeons. They sca**r**ed her. Coralie loved to swim in the underground pool because it was warm in the winter and there were a lot of strange animals in it that she never saw at the beach. That day, she decided to look for some turtles because Patrick had told her that a lot of turtles liked to hide in the underground pools in the winter.

While Patrick and Coralie were searching for the turtles they heard a loud scream from somewhere in the castle. Coralie got very scared and swam out of the pool and wrapped herself in her towel. "Patrick, I want to go back to my room!" said Coralie. Patrick did not say anything instead he jumped out of the water, grabbed Coralie's hand, and began to run out of the pool room. "Patrick, where are we going!" screamed Coralie. Patrick did not answer, he just kept running to where he had heard the scream. Water was dripping everywhere because Patrick had not even brought his towel with him.

Suddenly, while they were running, Patrick came to a stop in front of a very wide hallway with a velvet carpet and shreiked. "What is it!" cried Coralie who was very extremely scared now. She did not know what was going on. Suddenly, a maid knocked into Patrick and she was screaming, "FIRE! FIRE!" Patrick picked up Coralie and started to run very fast through the castle hallways. Coralie was a big girl, but she started to cry anyway because she was scared of what would happen when the fire spread. "Patrick, where are Mommy and Daddy?" she asked as she cried.

"I don't know," Patrick answered as he kept running through the hallways looking for a way outside. Suddenly, he came to a hallway and both of them screamed very loud because right in front of them was a big flare of fire that was moving like a snake along the carpet. Coralie cried harder and Patrick ran the other way but he was getting very tired because Coralie was not a little child and she was heavy for him to carry. Coralie knew this so she yelled, "Patrick, put me down, I can run!" "**N**o!" Patrick screamed. "I have to protect you! You can't run as fast!" Then Corali**e** got an idea. Before Patrick knew it, she jumped out of his arms and ran back to the fire and threw her wet towel on it. It stopped immediately. "Coralie, you did it!" cried Patrick happily, but Coralie was not happy because she did not know where her Mommy and Daddy were. She ran to Patrick and he picked her up again and said, "They will be all right, I promise." Then he started to run again.

They were fine until they found another hallway that was burning up and another and another and they couldn't find a door. Then they heard sounds of people so Patrick ran toward the sounds and he found a lot of maids running out the door. He ran outside and put Coralie on the ground. It was very cold because it was snowing and Coralie and Patrick started to turn blue. But they were at least away from the fire."See, we're fine now," he said. But Coralie sta**r**ted screaming because she was scared for her parents. Patrick tried to comfort her but then he looked up and saw that the tower was falling apart. "RUN!" he screamed and he grabbed Coralie's hand and began to run toward the rocky side of the hill. "Let's climb down before the tower falls then we'll be safe!" he yelled. "NO!" screamed Coralie. "That is danger**o**us, my parents said that you could fall," but Patrick did not listen and began climbing down. Suddenly, he slipped and began falling down to the rocky shore. Coralie screamed and screamed as Patrick fell and screamed until he hit the rocks below. And then Coralie screamed even more and cried because Pat was dead.

Then, the tower started to fall and Coralie ran as fast as she could away from it. Luckily, she got away but some maids weren't fast enough and the tower fell on top of them. Coralie r**a**n away to the other side of the hill and the**n** she saw the castle. It was all in flames and everything was crumbling, even though the castle was made out of stone. Coralie ran to the bottom of the hill and then fell on the ground and cried and cried until she could not cry anymore. She was shivering so hard becauseit was so cold and her whole bo**d**y was numb.And then everything went dark.

The End.


End file.
